Extremely high gas bill during the same month (May) each year- Why??

Talldave

Did you monitor the boiler to see if it was on a lot?

Just wondering if there's some problem with the controls for the heating, such that when it's hot, the boiler is being turned on with a false call for heat which is never satisfied, so the boiler could be running flat out (heating a bypass circuit if all the TRVs are closed). It would therefore use more gas than when actually heating properly in winter.

This situation could arise if you had a programmable thermostat inadvertently set for cooling instead of heating. However, I can't then work out why the heating would work in winter??

I'm probably barking up the wrong tree, but it's either that or a leak that's somehow temperature dependent?!

Gerry1

You still haven't said what the units are. If they are cubic metres then the annual consumption (April - April) is quite reasonable at 18,318kWh. I wish mine (27,000) was that low ! However, I do have a gas tumble drier.

What does the IHD say? Do your own gas meter readings all tally with what the statements say? The statements are the only things that count.

Is it possible that the smart gas meter can be made to display various parameters (perhaps by repeated button pushes) and that you have not always recorded the same parameter? I'm not familiar with smart meters (I refuse to have any) but if there were a Last Reading / Current Reading facility or suchlike that could well explain it.

You might even find that you've always been recording the cached 'Last Reading' but the meter reader comes round in May so your next reading is much more recent than all the others and therefore appears higher. I'm only guessing, but there's probably a very simple explanation. Above all, it looks like you're not being overcharged, your usage certainly seems quite reasonable.

grumpycrab

18,318KWh for 12months is on the high side but ok if somebody's in 24/7. The "463 used in 40 days" indicates either
1. lots of gas used
2. a leak
3. a meter mis-read or
4. a meter error
I'd take weekly reads. Get one of the kids to do it.

orourj

Thanks to everyone that has replied.
@Talldave we can hear when the boiler is on (although it is in the loft) but haven't heard anything excessive and it is set that if it drops below certain temperatures it comes on and it only seems to be a problem at this time of year and if a leak, why has it stopped?

@Gerry1 I don't know what the units actually are, I have just given the readings from the meter and the amount that the reading has gone up by in the used part - I don't think it correlates to anything such as KWHs.
I have just checked the meter but it only shows the one reading and even if you repeatedly push the buttons it just shows the current reading (which as of 20th July) has only increased by 5 to 10912 - so not indicative of a leak.
I'm sorry I don't know what IHD is?

We are with Octopus and they don't send meter readers round, we just have to send the readings in ourselves and so they tally with the statements.

As we only use gas for heating, water and hob, everything else is on electricity but it is good to see that our usage seems reasonable!

@grumpycrab I can't see how it would be possible to use 463 units in 40 days when even if we had our heating on constantly in winter it doesn't come to this amount and in May it wasn't cold - I can't see what could be using this much gas?
I guess it could have been misread over the year but it does seem fairly consistent usage and due to the query on this time last year we have been keeping more of an eye on it but just assumed as it went back to normal it was a one-off but has happened again.
Could it be a meter error just for a couple of months each year?
I think I will start to take weekly reads.

It just seems to be a real mystery and I can't work out why so much gas would be used.

Thanks again to everyone that has taken the time to reply.

Gerry1

IHD = In Home Display, the shiny portable gizmo that links to your smart meters and tells you what's going on.

The meter reading is probably in cubic metres. You can convert cubic metres to kWh here.

I'm surprised you haven't quoted your bills, DDs and whether your account is in credit or debt: you seem to be worried about potentially massive bills, but you haven't said whether this has actually happened despite the apparent problem being long standing.

Do you have an online account? It might be better to check the kWh gas usage figures there; I suspect your problem relates to uncertainty about what your readings actually mean.

I'm also really surprised that you seem to be doing it the hard way, looking at the gas meter's basic display rather than the more comprehensive IHD? :huh:

All this confusion is probably leading you up the garden path, and there's really no problem at all. It would help if you can post some (suitably redacted) evidence, e.g. video or photos of the meter readings, together with some statements !